Your non-profit needs a blog

This article was originally posted on my web & media business website Be Gee M. From time to time I will cross-post content.

Blogging is one of those things you love or you hate, you get it or you don’t. There are some people who have multiple blogs and others who you will never be able to get to write one post, let alone run a whole blog. You may think that a blog is for young people, or for other types of businesses, or that you have nothing to say. You are wrong: you need a blog.

A blog provides fresh content

There was a time when a web site was nothing more than a digital storefront, a place to hang your shingle and wait as business came to you. It was a glorified business card or brochure. Those days are long gone. In today’s internet, content is good, fresh content is even better. Visitors judge your website–and your organization, by extension–on how recent the content is. You may not be able to launch a new program every month but you can certainly write an article at least once a month (once a week is even better). It’s a cheap, easy, and effective way to increase the appeal of your website.

A blog generates repeat traffic

If your website stays the same–or rarely changes–there is little reason for visitors to return. The fresh content your blog will provide also gives visitors a reason to return: to check for new posts. As a non-profit, you may not be under the crunch to increase site traffic to appeal to advertisers, and still repeat traffic is important. Every time a visitor returns to your website, it increases their familiarity with and affinity to your organization. Most visitors won’t commit to two years of volunteer service or hand over $10,000 after just one visit to your website; they might after visiting every week for a year, though.

A blog develops authority

Your blog will give you an outlet to post articles and other informative pieces. By adding new knowledge and perspectives to your field, you and your organization gain authority. Since you’ll be posting current content and gaining repeat visitors, you will become the go-to source for information in your field. This is crucial as you want donors and investors to trust you with their money, volunteers to trust you with their time, and clients & constituents to trust with their needs.

A blog encourages interaction

I see many non-profit executive directors and development officers excited about the opportunity online giving offers. They are eager to slap “Donate Now” buttons and links all over the website in a “If you build, they will come” mentality. Some of your visitors will donate right off the bat. These are visitors who already know and trust you. Many visitors are not ready to part with their money quite yet. They may, however, be ready to type and click and leave a comment (or two, or three, or more). Every interaction a visitor has with your organization brings them one step closer to making a donation. Creating engaging blog posts, and soliciting feedback, is a perfect way to prime visitors to donate.

What is stopping you?

If you are a part of a non-profit without a blog (or a neglected blog), what is stopping you from making your blog a priority? Do you not have enough time to maintain it? Do you not know how? Are you discouraged by low traffic or user engagement? Are you unsure what to write about or where to start? Leave a comment below. What can you or I do to help you get started blogging or improve your blogging efforts?

Photo by Jacob Bøtter